Lyme Disease Research Paper

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Recommended: Descriptive epidemiology of lyme disease

Lyme Disease is also known as borreliosis. Borreliosis is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi (a bacteria). The bacteria that is transmitted is unlike any other organism--it can survive without iron. All other organisms need iron to make protein and enzymes. This causes the body’s immune system to break down and makes the body more susceptible to sickness.This disease is spread by ticks.

The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases states, Lyme Disease is the most common tickborne infectious disease in the USA. The three types of ticks that Lyme Disease is transmitted through are Ixodes Scapularis (blacklegged tick or deer tick), Ixodes Pacificus (western blacklegged tick), and Ixodes Ricinus (sheep tick).

These ticks …show more content…

The symptoms of Lyme Disease are vast. The first, most prominent, symptom is the bull’s eye rash. It essentially looks like a big red circle, encircling the site of the tick bite. Other symptoms include but are not limited to fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, chills and joint …show more content…

This stage can be reached by someone who did not treat their Lyme Disease or did not exterminate all of the Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. Some symptoms that occur in the third stage of Lyme Disease are arthritis, difficulty concentrating, unrestful sleep, chronic muscle pain, memory loss and tingling and/or numbness in the hands or feet.

To diagnose Lyme Disease, you can take these tests--Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) test and the Western Blot test. The Western Blot test is administered to follow up a positive result of the EIA test. It is not recommended to take just the Western Blot test because there is a risk of misdiagnosis and improper treatment. Patients with swollen joints or neurological symptoms are advised to have a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test. Fluid is drawn from either the infected joint or the spine. This test can detect bacterial DNA.

To treat Lyme Disease, you are prescribed an antibiotic. Doxycycline, amoxicillin, and cefuroxime axetil are some of the antibiotics you can be prescribed. People in the later stages of Lyme Disease with neurological conditions and arthritis may be treated with antibiotic injections. The arthritis symptom is caused by an inflammatory immune response to bacterial debris in the

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